Unique
by Icechunk
Summary: Amu Hinamori always believed in the fact that you are able to distingush people at least between their fingerprints. Then what is reason she and some random blue haired boy share the same lines on their hands?
1. Chapter 1

**Unique**

_**1. Finding**_

I bet many of you at least once asked yourselves, if there was anyone similar to you.

Dreams about having a twin or clone, imagining meeting someone who looks like you from head to toe. Have you ever thought of them turning against you? Stabbing you in the back when you looked the other way?

Well, I never did. I had a little sister who was quite a handful and didn't need anything else of that kind. Neither did I believe in paranormal incidents, that included copies of myself randomly popping out of nowhere. In my book, every human was irreplaceable and completely unique, even if it were only their fingerprints which made them that way.

All that belongs in the past now. I learned how things really are and won't be able to return to my former state of mind.

Everything started in the summer holidays when I was sixteen. It was a way too bright and sunny day, even though I liked the sun usually.

No cloud in sight which could cover the deep blue sky, no cool breeze that could make it easier to endure the heat.

For some reason my oh-so-lovely friends Rima and Utau decided it would be a brilliant idea to drag me to the opening of the new high tech pool and meet up there with Utau's semi-rival Kukai who also happened to be a good friend of mine.

I really cherished my friends but what on earth made them take me outside in this brain-melting heat? I had already planned to spend my day in my room, reading a book, gazing at the flaring sun from a safe distance and more importantly from a cool and comfortable place.

Right now, I was sitting on hard concrete, feeling like steam was coming out of my ears, as the sun seemed to by frying me. It stood directly above me and looked like it would stay there forever, tightly locked in its place, mocking me for eternity.

I looked around, sighing and taking in my surroundings. The new pool had many interesting features such as five different indoor and three outdoor pools. What made it special, was the newly invented locker key-system: The employee at the entrance scans your fingerprints and assigns it to a locker. Of course you had to remember the number without having the key to take a look at, in case you forgot in which locker you left your belongings.

I managed that half an hour after we entered here and my companions shoved me to the outdoor pools, without letting me complain. Shortly after, Rima lay on one of the deckchairs, leaving me with the two quarrelling hotheads.

Kukai and Utau simply loved to compete with each other. No matter what it was, one of them always had to start a bet about being better at doing it. This time, it was something quite reasonable, nothing compared to last week's "Who manages to stack the most teacups, without breaking them". They were arguing about who was the faster swimmer.

" I don't see how I should be slower than you, women may be staying behind in physical activities thanks to evolution, but that's no argument, as there are always exceptions."

" Yeah, and how do you think you'll beat a real sportsman with such flimsy and weak arms?", Kukai said while grabbing Utau's arms and shaking them a little. He flashed her a toothy and superior looking grin.

The blonde stood there silently in her dark purple bikini, her bangs casting shadows over surely with rage filled, violet eyes and trembling but actually pretty muscular arms, which signalized the upcoming storm, that would hit the caramel haired guy with full force and no mercy.

Utau hated to be told that she was a weak little girl and wouldn't let Kukai insult her like that.

Unable to avoid the inevitable, Kukai stumbled backwards, flailing, after Utau released her anger and pushed him into the cold water, which resulted in a slight giggle coming from me, seeing him wadding on the surface with a dumbfounded look. Utau on the other hand wasn't even near to finished and jumped gracefully after him, challenging him into a race.

I couldn't figure out how they were able to race each other in the speed of light, completely blocking out everyone in their way, only focused on winning, but seeing them being active made me want to move around, too, even if it consisted of going over to Rima. I got up and tried to find her amongst the large crowds of laughing teenagers and squealing children.

The petite blonde sat in her deckchair, her golden eyes covered with big shades and her brown, shimmering one piece bathing suit showing no sign of wetness. She seemed to have already stood up once, as she was holding a coke can in one of her hands and taking a sip from it. Probably someone simply gave it to her, which happened quite often. Many wanted to be in her favour, as she resembled a carefully created doll, in the size of a middle-school student.

I slowly approached her, not wanting to move too rapidly in the heat. My mouth dried when I saw the cold can filled with the refreshing but unhealthy liquid.

However I needed something to drink, perhaps my wavy-haired friend could lend me some money. I couldn't remember my locker number and didn't want to look weird, searching through all the scanners in the right sector, seeing, whether they would reward me pressing my pointer on them with a reassuring click.

" Hey, Rima. What do you-", I cheered.

" Nope, Amu.", Rima declined anything I was going to say. My honey coloured eyes widened in confusion. What did she mean? How did she know what I was going to ask?

" The way you stared at my drink was way to intense. It was obvious that you were going to ask something from me. Like money."

"Please, I forgot my locker number." I pouted.

" Not gonna happen. I'm way too lazy to get my wallet. You see, someone just offered this drink to me." ,she replied emotionless," Just search your damn locker. You're going to have to find it sooner or later, anyway." Rima added.

I sighed in defeat and marched off to the lockers, which were separated into sectors. Luckily, I didn't forget in which sector I would find my stuff.

The worst part of it was, that I had to touch every single locker to check which one was the assigned one to me. So I nervously fidgeted in front of a row of scanners, not feeling comfortable in my midnight blue bikini. When I was sure, that no one was watching I quickly slid my finger across the small glass tiles receiving a light beeping noise from one after another.

Suddenly, one of the small devices clicked and cracked open a bit, only to reveal some dark men's clothing, and several other items, which didn't belong to me at all.

What the hell?

Didn't they have a highly up to perfection driven security system in which these kinds of mistakes were impossible? Did someone just forget to lock his stuff away properly? I'm just going to close it and continue with my-

" Hey, you, pink head, what are you doing with my clothes?" Claimed a dark voice right behind my back.

Immediately, I let go of his black pants and whirled around with a blush on my cheeks, that would outmatch any fire truck.

" I was searching for my locker. Yours seemed to be open and when I came across the scanner it looked like it opened just then..." I somehow managed to bring that sentence out, not needing to stammer. I didn't look up because I didn't want the person to see my burning cheeks.

" Well, I for one know, that the door was closed shut. I don't know how you pried it open but it looks like this system has its holes. However, I'll take you to the next employee to report it. You're better coming with me on your own, or I'll have to drag you." The stranger stated.

That was when I lifted my head to face the stranger for the first time. I couldn't let him do what he wanted, not before he knew I was saying the truth. I didn't want to get into trouble. Instead of objecting I simply stared at the teenager in front of me.

He looked quite good may I say and probably two years older. He had midnight blue hair, which was grown into long bangs in the front and cut a little bit shorter in the back, going down his neck. His navy blue eyes stared coldly into mine and his face held a stoic expression. He was tall and skinny, taller than Kukai or Utau (who was slightly taller than Kukai) and still looked kind of muscular, despite his thin appearance.

Yes, he looked good but he wasn't my cup of tea. I wasn't the kind who falls for the dark, emotionless and cold dudes. The only reason girls liked those mysterious guys were their looks and the possibility of making that 'creature' sociable. Aren't they just humans, too?

The dark haired guy cocked one of his eyebrows, as if questioning my ability to answer him.

Nothing came out of my mouth even if I wanted to.

Finally I nodded, thinking, that there will be a way to show I didn't do anything.

Hopefully.

He reached behind me and swung the small rectangular door shut.

Then he led me to the next lifeguard and explained the situation. I waited next to him, not knowing what to say in this kind of situation.

It was embarrassing. Why wouldn't my mouth speak the words my brain prepared? I couldn't budge at all, standing awkwardly next to the boy whilst being accused of theft.

After having everything explained to him, the lifeguard asked me what I might have to add to it. I forced my mouth apart and simply told him what I did up until when the teenage boy saw me.

The lifeguard seemed at a loss of words and ordered us to go back to the lockers to check, if I opened the locker by myself. The employees didn't seem to question the invention in the slightest bit.

Going back to the lockers, some kind of anger rose inside of me. It wasn't that hard to believe I didn't do anything. Why the hell couldn't they believe me?

If Rima simply lend me the money, I wouldn't have had these problems. That guy would have closed his damn locker before I got there and everyone would have been happy.

From this perspective you could also say it was my fault for forgetting my locker number or the pool was at fault for existing at all.

This way, everyone could have been the source of my problem and I still wouldn't be able to turn the time back now.

As we arrived, the lifeguard took a closer look at the scene of crime. He didn't find any traces of the paint being damaged. All he could lastly think of was an error concerning the system. The scanner could have messed up with not working detailed enough and seeing our fingerprints as the same, as they could possibly look alike when only taking in rough lines.

To check that, he let the teen boy run his long fingers through the lines of tiles to look, whether he could open my locker as easily as I seemed to have opened his.

It didn't take too long for us to hear the familiar clicking sound. The blue haired boy seemed kind of surprised. He clearly didn't think it was possible.

He stepped aside and made room for me so I could check the contents.

I looked inside the locker and saw my yellow top on first glance.

Afterwards I closed it and tried whether the scanner would also accept my fingerprint, which it did.

I didn't do anything wrong and could prove it. Lucky me, more or less.

Upon seeing this the employee apologized and told us to wait there for a while, so he could confront the technology department and report the case. He quickly dashed off and relayed on us staying in place.

The boy shut his eyes and took a deep breath. As he opened them again, he let out a small "I'm sorry", which I gladly accepted. I was still angry for being accused of theft though it is kind of weird seeing someone randomly searching through your clothes. It was understandable.

"Thanks, I guess ..."

Silence. Neither of us knew what to say.

"My name is Ikuto Tsukiyomi", the teenager introduced himself " I'm seventeen years old. What about you?"

I didn't expect him to try to break the silence or even telling me his name.

" I'm Amu Hinamori, sixteen years old." I replied.

He continued to observe me in a weird way, looking like he was deep in thought.

Should I proceed with the conversation? Funny, how our fingerprints look quite alike. If I said that, he would perhaps think I'm hitting on him, wouldn't he?

Suddenly he averted his eyes and turned his head as if he was waiting for something to come.

Just then our fellow lifeguard came around the corner. I didn't hear him at all over the noise of the other people at the pool.

He seemed to be excited and confused at the same time.

When he came to an halt, he told us in the utmost polite way, that the scanners were scanning each and every line they came across, being extremely detailed.

His colleagues couldn't think of a way how this was possible and wanted to make a second scan, of course only with our permission.

I couldn't grasp the whole situation. If the system accepted both our fingerprints without hesitation, it couldn't have put in one print as the key for both locks.

What in the whole world was that supposed to mean?


	2. Chapter 2

_**2. Processing Information**_

"Alrighty then. How about we start off with our names? I'm Dr. Nikaidou Yuu, but Nikaidou's fine.", stated the man before Ikuto and me who was seated in a tall black executive chair and wore a wrinkled lab coat.

His messy light brown hair was tied in the back, his matching eyes sparkled with anticipation behind his simple glasses.

Upon seeing this I couldn't get rid of having the feeling that this must be the same way scientists gaze at their newly arrived shipping of lab rats, practically shaking with excitement over the upcoming tests.

Actually, we weren't much different from those rats now, were we?

I caught a glimpse of the blue-haired teenager next to me. His face turned into a look of dislike, clearly frowning over the new acquaintance. So he did not approve of what was to come, even though he wasn't against coming here, not until meeting Nikaidou who left a bad impression on the boy in such a short time that is.

'Wait a second. Ain't I paying to much attention to that guy and his face?' I thought.

Watching Ikuto was getting very enjoyable, in fact, I realized that I almost always tried to read his expression after each and every question or novel situation. Most of the time his mask was emotionless and cold but sometimes it deformed itself and gave away a small clue about his thoughts.

'Some weird analysis I got there, whereas I met him only about half an hour ago... and already look like a stalker.' I scolded myself. And started to grin, looking back to ten minutes ago.

The request of the pool employee caught us off guard.

I couldn't find a logical explanation for this incident and stood frozen in place.

Ikuto looked hesitant. It seemed like he's suspicious of others in general. His eyes narrowed and he glanced down to me, catching me staring.

Damnit.

My breathing hitched.

I decided to not avert my gaze, as there was no use to it. He caught me red handed, might as well see how he reacts.

I mimed his eyes and stared directly into them, while trying to find a hint of what was going on in his head.

Unexpectedly, the corners of Ikuto's mouth went slightly up. At least it looked like they did, as this action could be compared to the smile of the Mona-Lisa. It left me guessing whether he was smiling or frowning.

I amused him. Did he forget he was taking me for a criminal mere moments ago?

He must be bi-polar. Being angry at first and smiling the next second I look at him.

Just then I finally noticed the presence of the third part-taker of our conversation, who asked us a question.

He waited long enough. It was about time someone answered him.

Seeing as the stoic guy next to me didn't even budge it was me who should open her mouth.

"I'm fine with a second scan. If it doesn't take too long." I answered.

Ikuto seemed to wake up from a daze. He blinked once and tore his eyes from mine, sighed and made the effort of parting his lips, which he did in an agonizing slow motion.

"Let's get it over with." he agreed. There was his unreadable face again. Weirdo.

The life guard nodded slightly and told us to get dressed and wait for any employee at the entrance.

Then he vanished from our sight and hurried over to a few teenagers.

I remained on the tiled floor for another moment, trying to process what just happened.

To my left, I could still feel Ikuto's presence.

Curiously I turned around to see what distracted him. I glanced over my shoulder, only to find him studying his right hand.

The teenager immediately looked up again, and pretended to yawn.

'Looks like I'm not the only one who's unsure what to think.' I comforted myself.

Without losing much more time I went to grab my stuff and proceeded to the girls' changing rooms.

I decided to not start a conversation with Ikuto about his thoughts on this, neither did he. It didn't surprise me since it would not fit his image I created of him, despite knowing him for a few minutes.

I judge people way too early.

After taking a quick shower and dressing myself again I hurried to the entrance to look out for either an employee or the blue-haired guy. Though I preferred the last option.

It was better to see a familiar but awkward face than meeting a complete stranger who might be strange on top.

When I arrived at the crowded place, I tried to spot a dash of midnight-blue in between the horde of people.

My gaze brushed past the light blue walls - on which darker whirls were visible – and landed on the far glass front. The bright sunlight caused me to squint my eyes and lower my field of vision, thus leading it onto a mop of blue.

Ikuto leaned against one of walls. He stood there silently, his hair still damp , eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest.

The people around him left some space around him, not wanting to get near him, his aura of superiority making them back away.

That sight made me smile. 'Impressive.' , I marveled, 'That's the tall, dark bad boy for you.'

With that in mind I squeezed past the other customers, eventually reaching Ikuto's free spot.

He then took a step forward and deplored "You're slow. Now, let's find that staff member."

'Huh? He waited for me this whole time. Now that I think about it, what other reason could he have to stand here.'

Shrugging it off, I suggested we should find the one we were supposed to meet.

I tried to stand on my tiptoes while scanning the crowd for anyone in the pool's staff shirt.

It was tiring because I weren't very tall however most of the people in front of me were.

I didn't want to move either as it would only become harder to get through all those people.

But it was no use, I couldn't see anyone fitting. So I jumped a little and hoped to be granted a better view of the hall.

Suddenly I heard a chuckle. That idiot dared to make fun of me?

"What is it?" I snapped.

"Hm? Oh, nothing. You look hilarious while jumping up and down like this"

This dude pissed me off. "Oh really? Good for you to have fun when I'm working to find that staff member." I barked.

At this comment the lazy teenager stepped farther once more so that he was directly before me.

What was he up to?

Without any warning he grabbed my torso, spun me around and lifted me in the air.

My cheeks flared up and so did my rage. 'This bastard! Does he think at all?'

" See, now it's teamwork. Hurry up and take a good look, shorty, you're kind of heavy."

I stared down into his bemused eyes and cursed myself for letting my guard down.

"I'm not short, I'm of average height. It's you who's a giant. Oh and don't blame me when you're to weak to hold me up" I contradicted " It was you who took action."

Even though I had to admit it was a great help for now I had the whole hall in my view.

The others around us gawked and whispered. I looked like an idiot or small child.

Finally I spotted a woman in a shirt with the logo of the pool next to a door which read "Staff"

She practically drowned amidst the huge number of visitors.

"Found her!" I exclaimed and pointed into the correct direction.

Ikuto let me down slowly, making me brush against his black t-shirt which had some white writing on it.

I was happy to have the ground under my feet again and let out a relieved breath.

Then I punched that bastard in his stomach.

But only lightly.

He protectively clutched his hand at that spot and eyed me startled.

" Just why did you do that?" He demanded irritated.

"Revenge." I stated.

He let another low chuckle escape his smirking lips and then faced the growing crowd ahead.

I groaned, prepared to be tossed around and took a step towards them.

In the blink of an eye I felt two strong, large hands on my shoulders.

My head shot up and I fixed my honey-brown orbs onto the boys face. He got too touchy in the last few moments for my taste.

He on the other hand stubbornly stared ahead as if shoving me around wasn't anything special.

Ikuto then proceeded to push me through the mob.

Due to his height and presence almost everyone stepped aside, creating an ally for us.

This way he pushed us past the amused audience of his sketch.

I must have resembled a little child, a red-faced child with burning cheeks compared to the idiot behind me with his calm adult-like appearance.

"Am I a toy to you or why do you keep treating me like one?"

Once again he tucked the corners of his mouth upwards as he explained "I thought 'tool' would be more fitting, but toy is fine with me."

I grew to hate this guy. One couldn't have a normal conversation with him.

We arrived at the door and the lady took us to the surveillance room where we were introduced to Dr. Nikaidou who was in charge of the scanners. He was the one who came up with the idea and invented the device.

Following Nikaidou's example, I told him my first and last name, as well as my age and occupancy.

He seemed nice and kind of bubbly. That character was unusual for a doctor.

Ikuto only reluctantly answered. For some reason he couldn't get along with Nikaidou's cheerful attitude.

"Okay, we shouldn't lose any more time and scan your fingerprints already." the man proposed and got up from his chair to get a small panel similar to the ones on the locker and at the entrance.

Just as he began to stride over to us, he tripped directly into my direction. I didn't believe there were still people who tripped over thin air but as I was about to get crushed by one, I guessed, I might reconsider it.

Before I came into contact with Nikaidou, someone yanked me backwards. Of course it was no one else than Tsukiyomi Ikuto. He saved me this time, instead of using me

"Thanks." I muttered, still blinking rapidly in suprise.

Ikuto simply responded with a low grunt.

Nikaidou managed to retrieve his footing and failed at breaking the small device in his hand.

"Oops-a-daisy" he mused.

Somehow I got the feeling those things weren't a rarity.

"Okay now, who wants to go first?"

Thanks for reading.

P.S.: I'm searching for a beta reader. This is important because I'm from Germany. What I'm trying to say is I suck at English and make mistakes which I won't notice and correct.

Those grammatical and spelling errors can make the story hard to understand.

Oh, and reviewing will improve any storyline concerning problems.

-ImbaME


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